A small step for everyone’s better protection.

Time flies! It has been six years since I had moved to Delhi. As I look back the past six years, I have to admit that I have become super loud or bossy in order to survive in the city. 

In the initial four years, I was speechless or vulnerable in the hierarchical structure of the society yet became very strong to auto walas, shopkeepers or anyone who tries to cheat on me, while the current two years, as I was in charge of administrative section of an office, I always need to speak a lot to make sure if my team understands what I want them to do. 

So I feel I have become so loud and tough, especially, when it comes to tell something to someone, complain about something or negotiation, I feel better in Hindi than Japanese, because I do not need to speak a lot in Japan to run daily routine normal. Whenever I come back home for holiday, I have always felt I explain too much at shops or restaurants, then realised later ‘ah! here is not Delhi’, and felt embarrassed.

Now, I am here again but not for a holiday but for a (hopefully) temporary return due to the pandemic. I seldom go out and, even if I go out, I wear mask and do not talk unnecessarily. 

Last week, I had to go out and took the rush hour train in the early morning for some interviews and exams. What I saw in the train was a crowd of people packed without opening the windows!! That was the perfect 3C(Three Cs=closed spaces,crowded places and close-contact settings)!! Some of them were indifferent to the environment, playing games with their mobile phones!!

I was so scared to get in but the Delhite was not hesitant to push the crowd to reach the window to open it. I faced to the opened window, but, being in the packed crowd and worried, fifteen minutes seemed like an hour. 

After coming back to home, I emailed to the train company, suggesting to limit the number of passengers and to put stickers and/or constantly announce to keep the windows open. People normally do not complain about things here because most of people like to keep harmony and, even if something unpleasant happens, they let it go. They think being patient is much better than having a conflict. Or they are resignful, knowing this country does not move by people’s voice. But the Delhite did and exaggeratedly! Although I, too, like others, did not expect something to change, I thought trying something is always better than doing nothing.

A couple of days later, my sister, having come back from office, told me, ‘what you suggested is reflected in the trains now’. Survival life in Delhi was tough, but I cannot be more thankful for all lessons of life the city gave me. 

Unknown period of time until next travel but I hope the world no longer suffers from the pandemic, discrimination and other sad and dirty politic games and we will see each other soon in the better world.